Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

My Name is Mom, and I am also a Pattern Hoarder ~ Vintage Rag Doll Pattern

I'm so rested up, that you get two blog posts today.  However, that doesn't mean I will leave my cozy jammies just yet.  I am thankful that we have leftover Kale and Bean soup to warm up with today too.  Hot tea has done wonders too. 

So, grab a cup of hot coffee or tea, and sit a spell.  This one is longer than the last.

I'll spare you the photos of the pile of plastic page covers I have now restocked into the school supplies.  While up from my very long nap yesterday (which felt great by the way), I pulled many of my binders and started cleaning them out.

I would have passed those patterns and craft instructions on to someone, but my kids voted they were "old" and needed to go.  


Back in the day, I would tear magazine pages, newspapers, and so forth, and place them in plastic pages (and then in labeled binders).  I had so much fun in creating fun class party treats, gifts, and so forth.  However, my kids are well beyond elementary, and we don't gift teachers anymore too.

Way back in the day, when my kids were 6 years and under, I was also on at MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) committee, and of course, one time it was "Craft Coordinator" for the Moms.  This meant saving even more at the time.  After move #1, I didn't take time to go through it all.  I simply packed up it.

While taking advantage of a day in bed, I think I emptied over 300 or more plastic page covers.  Some patterns, have stayed, and will be making their way into the utility room, where I am slowly creating my "craft room" (or space).  I have already been cleaning in there and have slowly removed items to donate to a charity or thrift.  These items are items I have not used in 6 years, so removing them feels great.  It also feels great to remove the binders from my bedroom.  

After move #2, I was left without a craft space whatsoever.  I still have totes in my garage due to space issues.  And considering it will be many years before more kids move out, I will share the shelves in the utility room.  And on a good note, my brother has donated several shelves to us, and will be also giving us a few cupboards from his kitchen (he is remodeling).  These will be installed and create storage space for my dehydrator, canning jars and pot, sauce maker, etc.  Which, will allow space to install drawers or covered containers for my yarn and possibly other supplies.

I still have more binders to go through, but I have been pretty good at not over saving my knitting/crocheting/tatting or embroidery patterns.  

If you are a pattern saver like me, I'm sharing one (he he!) for those hoarders like me.  If you sew, here is a link for (free pattern) making rag dolls:  Vintage Rag Dolls (Coats and Clark blog)

The long day in bed did me a world of good, but my ear continues to have fluid in it.  In a good way, it cuts down on what I can hear from my chitter chattery kids, but on another, I feel like I'm screaming when I talk.  

Today, it's so cold that school was delayed by 2 hours, and if it had been possibly 1 degree colder, they would have closed.  Some schools have closed.  I was so cozy in my warm bed, I fell back asleep after Hubby left for work, and never loaded the stove.  Yikes!  I let it go out.  Phooey.  When the dogs came in and woke me up, I realized how cold the house was.  Thankfully, one daughter had started it back up again, but we are running low on wood.  We are also burning our last bag of wood pellets today.  

It's been the worst winter ever, so we had not prepared for such cold temperatures.  This is a lesson to prepare just a bit more for next winter.  Hubby said, "I hope we don't have a winter like this for the next 50 years."

Timmy, our black barn cat, came to the door yesterday.  He's now inside in a kennel, resting up again.  He face is such a mess, eyes a mess, cuts and infection etc.  We decided to keep him inside today so he could rest.  Out there, in the frigid cold, he will only use his energy to stay warm, and not on healing.  At least inside, he will have a chance.  I do think it's time to get him fixed this year too.  

Daughter said she can feel baby kicks in both goats now, but we are not sure if Misty will have twins this year yet.  

Well, that's it for today.  We hope the warm up coming will thaw us out completely.  I have many chores to complete before spring planting, so I plan to dig out journals and start making plans (like ordering starter onions etc.).

 

4 comments:

Carolyn said...

That reminds me that I need to go through my fabric scraps stash....probably not as extensive as your pattern stash, but something that needs to be done.

Glad you're feeling better & glad that the barn kitty came to the house & you're letting him heal up. Our "outside" kitty has been indoors at night for the last two weeks. Just too cold.

Good luck on the kidding season!

Michelle said...

I am a quilt pattern saver. I even found double patterns while cleaning my quilt room yesterday. I may have a problem. I haven't hit the point of an intervention yet. But it could be close.

Mama Pea said...

Geesh, you're sick and still getting scads done! The pattern for those soft rag dolls reminds me that I need to make up a couple to have on hand. They're the perfect gift for little ones to cuddle and carry around. I went through all my patterns a couple of years ago and was actually kind of embarrassed that I kept only about one-tenth of the whole box. As I looked at some of them, I couldn't help but wonder what I was thinking when I deemed them as something I wanted to make some day. Guess our tastes change, huh? Keep taking care of yourself until you've shaken those germies completely.

Candy C. said...

I'm glad you are feeling better and I know it must feel great to get some things organized! Thanks for the link to the doll pattern. I used to have the ca-utest pattern but have lost it over the years. The hair was strips of muslin tied in knots and glued or sewn on. We had kale and bean soup just the other day, I put Italian sausage and mushrooms in it too. :)